Baking with Olive Oil

A staple of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is the capstone of cooking in Italy. It is used to cook, to bake, to pour on top of soups and vegetables, to dress salads, or just to eat with bread. Recent studies show that diets rich in olive oil and nuts are superior to low fat diets for heart health.

My romance with olive oil started many years ago, and since that time I have been trying to substitute olive oil for butter in as many of my dolci recipes as possible. When you use olive oil, not only are you using a more healthy alternative to butter, but you also use less than if you were using butter. While most people will tell you to use a light olive oil in your baking, I find that in some recipes (but I will not say all) extra virgin olive oil works great. Just make sure it is a light and fruity extra virgin, not a heavy or peppery one. In the US my favorite olive oil for baking came from Liguria. The oil was light and fruity in flavor and more buttery than some oils.